Format remains "organic" like my ongoing study groups and classes of the past, with the intention of preparing participants for a student community clinic.

Classes will prepare students to harvest herbs, make herbal preparations, identify health imbalances (TCM-style assessment), and recommend herbs and herbal formulas. Once prepared students will learn application in a student-run community clinic.

MATERIA MEDICAThe area "the materials of medicine" is, of course, one of the main subjects of a course in herbal medicine.The group will study herbs as a group and create an herbal apothecary for use in the clinic. Simultaneously, each student will work on their own personal materia medica. (You can start right now by making a list of the herbs you know something about.)

We will continuously analyze the group materia medica as well as each individual's materia medica looking for areas to improve on and working toward a complete list of herbs. Too often students learn a select few herbs and stop short of a comprehensive selection allowing them to address just about any illness that can be addressed with medicaments. A main object in this course is to develop a comprehensivemateria medica.

We will also, of course, be learning plant identification, harvest, and preparation in addition to the usual materia medica study of properties, constituents, indications, dosage, and the like.

DIAGNOSISAlthough I am not a pure Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, this traditional theory is at the core of my assessment and general understanding of medicine. Students need not be experienced in Chinese medicine, though an interest is necessary. It is recommended that you at least read up on Chinese medicine some before and during the course if you need to. Please contact me for recommended study or see my book list.

Chinese medicine is base on traditional, not modern, diagnosis. It is in four categories:Visual Diagnosis: including facial diagnosis, body type, and visually perceivable symptomsVisual assessment includes observing skin color and qualities, analyzing the tongue, assessing body type, reading body language, and assessing the eyes.Palpation: including pulse (primary in acupuncture), hara (abdomen- primary in shiatsu), meridian and pressure point assessmentTouch assists in assessment largely through observing pulse qualities, abdominal imbalances, and pressing diagnostic pressure points.Symptom Assessment: including intake through questionnaires and questioningIn many cases, symptom assessment is the basis of diagnosis with a focus on main complaints, health history, health of relatives, and other relevant factors. Listening & Smelling: including analysis of voice and body odorListening and smelling are traditionally grouped together, though in modern times smelling is not a primary form of assessment (although it does often play in, particularly with distinct odors). Listening refers to observing qualities of the voice and of symptoms that can be heard - such as a cough. These four categories of diagnosis are important, each helping to confirm and refine information gather through the other methods. True holistic systems tend to be based on this type of traditional assessment, rather than on technological methods. The methods of diagnosis listed above will be studied during the apprenticeship and put to practice during the student clinic.

We will also explore and remain open to other forms of natural diagnosis including mind/body connection, medical exams, and shamanistic.

FORMULATING & MEDICINE PREPARATIONPreparing herbs for medicinal use overlaps the first subject, Materia Medica, as it relates to what to do with herbs right out of the ground as well as when preparing for administration. Tictures made of fresh plants are pretty much ready to use, though they may be best combined into a formula. Dried herbs generally need to be prepared as infusion or decoction before they are consumed. All these details are important and key to the practice of herbal medicine.

The art of formulating (combining herbal ingredients) is a central subject of study and is the pinnacle experience for many clinical herbalists. Formulating is the art and magic of real-life herbalism (and is a major ingredient missing from pre-fab products).

In preparation for clinic, we will be discussing diagnosis to determine what herbs are appropriate. Then we need to understand what forms of preparation are appropriate for each herb and how to properly blend them to create a health-promoting medicine.

We will cover infusions, decoctions, tinctures, cough syrups, salves, and other medicaments.

This is a major subject in the study of herbs, though it is often ignored by today's schools and practitioners. Not only does the herbalist who knows medicine making have a certain advantage to be able to draw from his or her surroundings if need be, but the student who spends time to get to know the herbs in this way will have an advantage over the student who only learns hands-off theory.